Bridgestone refocuses Road Racing efforts

Bridgestone Refocuses Road Racing Efforts
Nashville, Tenn. (August 19, 2005)EBridgestone Firestone North
American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced that its motorcycle division will
refocus its road racing efforts beginning in 2006. The company...

Bridgestone Refocuses Road Racing Efforts

Nashville, Tenn. (August 19, 2005)EBridgestone Firestone North
American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced that its motorcycle division will
refocus its road racing efforts beginning in 2006. The company plans to
redirect its resources toward amateur competition, stepping up its
involvement with Championship Cup Series, Formula USA, WERA and other
similar organizations.

"Our products work very well in amateur road racing," said Bob Graham,
motorcycle and kart product manager for BFNT. "This year we have seen an
incredible demand for our products at the amateur level. As a result of
this demand, supply was adversely affected. Therefore, we must refocus,
and correct supply and inventory levels for 2006. In 2006 additionally,
Bridgestone will discontinue service operations at the AMA Nationals,
focusing on the amateur level programs. Bridgestone will maintain the
current motorcycle race tire distribution system, which works extremely
well. The off-road motorcycle racing programs will remain unchanged."

The Nashville-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, is
a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company,
Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company.
BFNT develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and
associate and private brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and
original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial
vehicle, off-road, agricultural, motorcycle and other tires to its
customers in North America.